1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a battery-operated hand vacuum cleaner with a drive part which has a housing, wherein a handle is integrally formed onto the housing and the housing contains an electric motor for a blower, and with an intake part with an air inlet, wherein the intake part is separable from the drive part.
2. Description of the Related Art
Hand vacuum cleaners of the above-described type are used for quickly and efficiently cleaning surfaces of all types. EP 0 008 117 B2 discloses a self-contained dry vacuum cleaner which includes a drive part and an intake part which can be separated from each other. A handle is formed onto the housing of the drive part. An electric motor operated by batteries for a blower and air outlet openings are provided in the housing.
The intake part has a hollow housing which has an air inlet and an open end which can be releasably connected to the housing by means of snap-type closures, and a dust bag unit arranged between the air inlet and the blower. Such a hand vacuum cleaner merely serves for vacuuming granular and dust-like materials from tables and floors.
EP 0 357 189 discloses a self-contained wet/dry vacuum cleaner in which the intake part has a baffle plate for separating liquids. However, cleaning agents must be applied separately.
EP 0 586 762 discloses a line-powered steam vacuum cleaner in which the steam generator with its steam nozzles are arranged in the drive part. The steam vacuum cleaner merely serves for vacuuming a liquid.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,507,068 relates to a washing vacuum cleaner which merely has a single-piece housing to which a fresh water tank and a waste water tank can be coupled. This washing vacuum cleaner is also only capable of collecting water or dirty water because it merely has very narrow slot openings. Solid and dry materials cannot be removed with this apparatus.